Device for measuring heights of persons.



No. 865,709. PATENTED SEPT. 10, 1907. W. H. JOHNSON.

DEVICE FOR MEASURING HEIGHTS OF PERSONS.

APPLIOATION FILED MAR. 27,1906.

WILLIAM H. JOHNSON, OF BRANDON, VERMONT.

DEvIcE FOR MEASURING HEIGHTS OF PERSONS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 10, 1907.

Application filed March 27, 1906 Serial No- 308,254.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM H. JOHNSON, a citizen of the United Statesof America, and a resident of Brandon, in the county of Rutland andState of Vermont, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inDevices for Measuring Heights of Persons, of which the following is afull, clear, and exact description.

This inyention comprises a base, a vertical mirror having a fixedposition suitably thereabove and a measuring scale vertically disposedin suitable relation to the mirror, whereby a person standing on thebase may perceive, by his reflection on the mirror, with whatregistering mark of the scale the top of his head registers.

A device of the character substantially as above indicated constitutesan apparatus to be made use of in a profitable way at pleasure resorts,being available at such places and otherwise for amusement amongparties, and for the ascertainment by individuals of physical facts ofinterest or importance to them.

The device in an approved form of its production is illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, in which,

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the height measuring device and aperson standing in relation thereto for the determination of his heightby himself. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the measuring device. Fig. 3is a perspective view showing the rear side of an upper portion of thescale bar having reversed indicating characters thereon, and drawn on alarger scale. Fig. 4 is a perspective view on a larger scale of aportion of the back or supporting uprights, the mirror and the scalebar. Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view in detail of an appliancehereinafter referred to.

Similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all ofthe views.

In the drawings,A represents a base or platform rising above the rearend or side of which is a back or upright longer than the height of thetallest person, and aflixed on the front ofthe upper portion of saidupright is a mirror or reflecting plate 0.

D represents a bar supported vertically at a short distance in front ofthe mirror having a scale thereon comprising graduation marks 10, andindicating characters 12, corresponding, for instance, to the foot andinch marks of the scale, and preferably reversed on the bar B so thatthe reflection thereof thrown back by the mirror will cause them toappear right side around, or positive. The scale bar D is shown as heldin top and foot sockets 15 therefor carried by studs 16, the

shanks of which are connected with the uprights above and below themirror, such studs standing forwardly from the upright for maintainingthe scale bar properly at the slight distance in front of the mirror.Aperson standing erect on the base may perceive most readily by hisreflection from the mirror with what scale mark and adjacent indicatingnumber the top of his head registers. p

In Fig. 4 the scale bar is shown with length graduation marks 10 and themirror is shown with separated measurement lines horizontally thereonand with indicating numbers 12 against such lines, this arrangementbeing possibly preferred in some cases as it enables the ascertainment,with less approximation, of apersons exact height. The scale bar mayhave a gage provided to slide vertically up and down thereon andcomprising; a portion extending straight and horizontally forwardly 1from the bar and at right angles to the length of the latter, such gagehaving, for instance, a frictional binding engagement with the bar andyet capable of being moved either up or down so that when a personassumes his position on the platfrom standing erect in front of themirror the gage may be positioned so that its under edge is at the levelof the top of the head and the point of registration of the gage on thescale bar may be perceived by the reflection from the mirror and theexact height of the person determined with no account to be taken forthe distance between the eyes and the top of the head and the angle ofthe line of vision.

In Fig. 5 the gage is shown with an internal socket 22 opening to theaperture- 20 therein by which is made slidable on the scale bar, aspiral spring 23 being held in compression in said socket and forfrictioning the gage relatively to the bar.

I claim A height measuring device comprising a base, an upright back,supported thereby and rising thereabovc, having a mirror at a suitableheight on the front side thereof, and said back having forwardlyextended socket studs arranged in a vertical line at points above andbelow the mirror, and a bar, having its upper and lower ends engaged inthe sockets of, and supported by, said studs, forwardly of and suitablydistant from the face of the mirror. and said bar having a verticalmeasuring scale thereon.

Signed by me at Brandon Vt. in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WlLLIAM H. JOHNSON.

Witnesses F. P. CooKn, F. H. JONES.

